Social Science Community Responds to Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling
The social science community has voiced its concerns and disappointment following the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in college admissions. On June 29, the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in the two cases of Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, declaring that race cannot be a factor in college admissions. The 6-3 ruling, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, effectively marks the end of affirmative action in higher education in the United States.
Leaders within the social science community have responded.
Felice J Levine, executive director, and Tyrone C. Howard, president, of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), released a joint statement declaring, “The decision is a low point that could impede equitable access to higher education; erode campus diversity; reinforce, rather than reduce, longstanding and pernicious patterns of bias in higher education; and hinder the development of future workers and leaders who can thrive in an increasingly multicultural society.”
Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association (APA), expressed deep regret over the Court’s dismissal of the substantial body of research demonstrating the positive effects of diversity in educational settings. In the published statement he mentions, “Scientific research has also found that exposure to diversity enhances critical thinking and promotes deeper information processing and problem-solving skills, among other benefits. Without purposeful attention to achieving diverse student bodies, our institutions of higher learning are likely to grow even more racially and ethnically polarized.”
To continue constructive discourse regarding the matter, the American Sociological Association (ASA) have published a list of experts that available for interviews and discussions.
Watch for COSSA’s continued coverage on the SCOTUS ruling.